On the homily: “God’s voice coming through you”

From the Virginian-Pilot, photographer The’N. Pham has produced this brief glimpse at the world of Fr. Dan Beeman, who discusses his homily preparation:

“You get them for 10 or 15 minutes during the homily,” Father Dan notes. “If you use it for your own agenda, or you recycle what you heard, or you take something from someone else, you don’t really give it the weight of God’s voice coming through you. Then you rob people of what they deserve.”

“If someone hears a homily and walks out of the door and doesn’t live differently or isn’t challenged, then I did not preach,” says Father Dan with a worried voice. “Then, I am failing them. I’m completely failing them!”